Fence-post.



Patented Oct. 8, I901. E. FOGELSONG.

FENCE POST No. 684,2l3.

(Application filed June 19. 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

//V VENTUH Ed, Rye hang.

W/ TNE SSE S N0. 684,2!3. Patented Oct. 8, |9DI.

E. FOGELSONG.

FENCE POST.

I (Application filed. June 19, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES /,v VENTOI? Ed, Fogelsong'. @911 BY TNIINOMXQ vzrzns ca. uma-um? WASHINGTON, n. c,

UNrTED STATES PATENT OKFFICE.

EDXVARD FOGELSONG, OF LANCASTER, OHIO.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 684,213, dated October 8, 1901.

Application filed June 19, 1901.

. partly of plastic material, such as fire-clay or other vitreous material; and it comprehends a novel construction of post of this character having a special construction for the supporting and interlocking therewith of wire or plank stays and also having a peculiar internal construction whereby suitable spaces are provided for the circulation of air to prevent freezing and also keep the wooden portions from rotting.

In its more subordinate features my invention consists of a fence-post having a peculiar construction and novelarrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a front perspective view of my,

improved fence-post, the same supporting wire strands. Fig. 2 is a rear View thereof with board-rails nailed thereto. Fig. .3 is a rear perspective view illustrating the manner in which the wire strands are held by means of a metallic keeper. Fig. 4 is a view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, showing how the wire strands are locked to the post by the wooden strip or keeper. Fig. 5 is a similar View on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the several parts constituting my complete post separated. Fig. 7 isa perspective View illustrating a modified form of my improved fence post. Fig. 8 is an inner face View of the post,showin g the metallic keeper elevated for securing a number of strands above the post-body. Fig. 9 illustrates the metallic member used as a post or stay for holding the wire strands. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section taken through the post-body and the metal stay on the line 10 10 of Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a face View of a part of the post and stay and illustrates a slightly-modified construction. v

In the accompanying drawings, in which like characters indicate like parts in all the Serial No. 65,213. (No model.)

figures, l designates the body of the post,

which may have any desired ornamental shape, but with its rear face fiat, as at 1, to provide for a smooth bearing-surface for the wire strands and the board rails, as shown. In the drawings I have illustrated the post 1 as tapering upward and its front face rounded, and the said body is made of fire-clay or other vitreous material and is shaped in a proper mold, with the central opening on its rear face extending the full length thereof. This opening comprises a base or channel portion 2, an intermediate portion 3 of greater width than the channel 2, the side walls 3 of which are straight, and an outer portion 4 of approximately the width of the part 3, and the said portion 4 has its side walls 4 undercut or dovetailed, the reason for which will presently appear. Upon the side portions the rear face of the post has a series of horizontal seats or notches 5, which have a depth equal that of the depth of the outer portion 4 of the opening or way in the back portion of the post, and the said notches are adapted to receive the wire strands 6, which in practice are laid therein and are tightly held upon the sides either by metallic keepers 7, as shown in Fig. 3, or by means of a wooden keeper, as shown in Fig. 4.

The metallic keeper 6 consists of a V-shaped metal piece of such width that its edges 7 7 will snugly slide into the dovetail walls 4:, hereinbefore referred to and as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, by reason of which it will be also seen that the said edges 7 serve as clamp members to hold the strands 6 close down in their seats in the fence-post, and it will also be noticed by reason of the space between the keeper 7 and the bottom of the opening in the post an ample air-circulating space is provided, which will tend to keep the body of the post from freezing or cracking. By forming an open way to the post with the intermediate space 3, having straight side walls, a suitable surface to receive a solid bearing wooden strip 8 is provided and adapted to hold the wooden strip 8 with its outer ends in a plane inside of the base of the recesses or sides 5, whereby the said outer face of the woodenstrip 8 will serve as a solid bearing against which the wire strands lie and are held by the keeper 9, which is also of wood and has its edges beveled, as at 9, to engage the undercut or dovetail edges 4, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6, by reference to which it will also be noticed that the member 9 binds or kinks the strands 5 at a point between the opposite edges of the channel or opening in the back face of the post, and thereby prevents the strand from sagging in its longitudinal direction. By providing an inner or wooden member adapted to bear solidly against the post and an outer strip 9 a suitable wooden base is provided, to which the ordinary plank can be nailed, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and by reason of the central channel 2 in the base of the rear face of the post an air-circulatin g space of a length equal that of the post is still provided when the two wooden members are used, and this provides for ample circulation of air behind the wood to prevent rapid decay of the said wooden parts when used.

In Figs. 7 to 11 is illustrated a slightlymodified construction of my invention, in which the metal keeper is especially designed for holding the strands separated when used in the manner shown in Fig. 7 and to serve either as an ordinary stay, as indicated at 00, or as a combined stay and keeper for holding the strands against the post, as shown at 'y in Fig. 1, and to firmly hold the several strands properly separated and also to engage them in an interlocking manner the keeper indicated by in Figs. 7 to 11 has reversely-inclined notches 70 in the opposite edges for the passage of the strands, the opposite inclines of the said notches serving to maintain the keeper 70 in place when acting as a stay, as at 00, or as a supplemental post, as at z in Fig. 9. Another and advantageous feature produced by notching'the member 70 is by reason of its being vertically slidable on the post-body proper it is possible to increase the height of the fence or extend the wires above the posts by simply adjusting the keeper in the postways, and thereby make it necessary to use a post-body only of sulficient length to make a firm support for the sliding keeper 70. Furthermore, when the form of picket shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is used in connection with the form of post shown in Fig. 1--z'. e., one having the horizontal recesses 5 a more positive interlocking of the strands on the post is secured and accidental sliding movement of the keeper 70 on the post is also overcome.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the advantages of my invention will be readily apparent. The same can be made at a very small cost and can be readily put up and adapted for use either with wire strands, wooden rails, or a combination of both.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fence-post of vitreous material, having a channel extending the full length of one face, said channel consisting of a base portion, an outer portion and an intermediate portion, said face having horizontal notches, a member adapted to slide endwise into theintermediate portion of the channel, anda second member adapted to slide into the outer portion of the channel and having its edges made to interlock with edges of said outer channel 7 portion, as specified.

2. A fence-post having a channel extending lengthwise thereof, a keeper having its edges arranged to detachably engage and slide vertically in said channel, said keeper having strand-engaging notches in its edges, for the purposes described.

3. A fence-post consisting of a body of vit- 7 reo'us material having a channel extending the full length of one face, said channel com prising a base portion, an intermediate portion 3, having straight sides, and an enter portion 4, having dovetailed edges, the chan- Q 9o the channel portions 4, all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

4. The hereinbefore-described fence-post,

material, having on one face a channel-way its entire length, said channel-way comprising a base portion 2, an outer portion 4, having dovetailed edges 4, and an intermediate portion 3, having straight sides, and being of greater width than the base portion 2, the channel-face of said body having a series of. horizontally-disposed seats or recessesgthe base of which lie in a plane with the base of the outer channel portion 4, a wooden member slidable in the part 3, and a second wooden member having beveled edges slidable in the part 4, all being arranged sub-. stantially as shown and for the purposes specified.

ED. FOGELSONG. WVitnesses:

D. E. SITES, 0. W. PANDO.

106 comprising in combination, a body of vitreous 

